It's time to drop false stereotype about homeless

Published 11:32 am, Monday, March 11, 2013

LAST SUNDAY IN GUT FEELING: Art Cummings expressed concern over the "staggering and depressing" statistics involving homelessness in Greater Danbury and beyond, and he called on "those who care" to help reduce the problem.

A lot of people think that everyone who goes to the soup kitchens in Danbury and New Milford is homeless and unemployed.

But many of the folks who stop for a hot meal at those soup kitchens do have a roof over their head, and a few of them even own their own home.

Likewise, a good number of them are gainfully employed.

The common denominator among the guests at Dorothy Day and Loaves & Fishes is not that they are all homeless.

The common denominator is that they are all down on their luck and simply can't afford to pay for housing, food and all the other costs of living in Greater Danbury.

The wonderful service provided by the volunteers at Dorothy Day and Loaves & Fishes allows many of the guests to have a regular hot meal and still be able to pay the rent or mortgage and other necessities in life.

There are similar misconceptions about the homeless in Danbury and surrounding towns.

Some people believe that all homeless individuals are alcoholics, drug addicts and/or mentally ill.

Some members of the public see a few homeless individuals who are poorly dressed, often unshaven or in need of a shower, perhaps acting out or appearing drunk, and they develop a stereotype about the homeless.

The truth, however, is that there is no one definition that fits all the homeless in Greater Danbury.

And it is time for society to get rid of the false stereotype about those who are down on their luck and need the community's help.

To be sure, some of the homeless are alcoholics. Some are addicted to drugs. Some are mentally ill. And there are those unfortunate souls who suffer from all those afflictions.

But there are many homeless folks who are none of the above.

Some homeless people haven't had a permanent roof over their head for some time, and it is unlikely they will have one in the foreseeable future.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who are out on the street only temporarily, as they wait to get their first paycheck in their new job, or for an affordable apartment to become available, or for a friend or family member to take them in.

And there are plenty of homeless individuals who fall in between those two extremes.

In similar fashion, the homeless run the gamut from high school dropouts to college graduates, from the chronically unemployed to former CEOs, radio personalities and other previously successful professionals.

A New Milford homeless man who recently died was a graduate of Princeton University, one of the best colleges in the country.

While homeless statistics are not precise, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness estimates there are about 175 homeless individuals in Greater Danbury.

According to CCEH, there are probably about 80 homeless individuals in Danbury and close to three dozen in New Milford.

But there are a handful of homeless people in New Fairfield, Bethel and Brookfield, too, and virtually every town around has at least one or two people without a roof over their head.

The CCEH says that over 80 percent of the homeless in this area are single adults, but nearly 20 percent are families with children.

The wide range of causes of homelessness and the disparate types of people who are homeless make it difficult to solve the problem.

Indeed, homelessness is a complicated and challenging issue.

Making it more difficult to deal with is that many members of the public are disgusted by the appearance of some of the homeless or are intimidated by their presence on the streets, in post offices and in libraries.

A lot of people look the other way, or wish the problem would just go away, or would like to relocate the homeless.

And it doesn't help matters when public discourse includes descriptions of the homeless as "drunken bums," "derelicts" and worse.

It is perfectly understandable that business owners do not want a homeless person leaning against their front window or panhandling right outside their shop or restaurant.

It is likewise understandable that residents and officials lament the sometimes detrimental impact of the homeless on a community.

But the answer is not to criticize homelessness, or lament it, or ignore it, or try to move it somewhere else.

Government and community leaders should feel the pain of the homeless and do what they can to help them.

The general public should be more sympathetic and supportive, too.

How many people in the Greater Danbury area are themselves just one or two paychecks away from being out on the street?

How many individuals relying on the good will of a friend or family member for a place to sleep are just one argument away from being homeless?

Indeed, it is likely some of you are in that situation or know someone who is and could well observe: "There for the grace of God go I."

Fortunately, there are good-hearted volunteers in Danbury, New Milford and other area communities who reach out and help in a variety of ways.

There are elected officials in some towns who recognize their responsibility and have taken steps to address the issue.

But despite all that has been and continues to be done, the Greater Danbury community -- indeed the nation as a whole -- has fallen far short of solving the pressing and tragic problem of homelessness.

There is so much more that can and must be done.

NEXT SUNDAY IN GUT FEELING: Art Cummings will offer his perspective on the current efforts being made to assist the homeless in this area.

Art Cummings is editor emeritus of The News-Times. He can be contacted at 203-731-3351 or at acummings@newstimes.com.